Island



(No Model.)

S. O. HOWARD, G. W. PARKS & W. P. WHITI'NG.

BOOT OR SHOE.

yw00000000000io0 Patented July 14,1891.

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UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN O. HOlVARD, OF PROVIDENOE, RHODE ISLAND, GEORGE NV. PARKS,

OF BROOKLYN, N EWV YORK,

AND IVILLIAM F. \VHITING, OF PROVIDENOE,

RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH TO'HIRAM HOIVARD, OF

PROVIDENCE, RI-IODE ISLAND.

. BOOT OR SHOE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,847, dated July 14, 1891.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that We, STEPHEN O. HOWARD and WILLIAM F. XVHITING, of Providence, in the county of Providenoe and-State ofRhode Island, and GEORGE NV. PARKS, of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of o'ur improvement is to provide ventilation in boots or shoes.

V The improvement consists in the combination of an outsole, aperforated insole, supports on the outsole for sustaining the perforated insole above the main portion of the outsole, so as to form a space between the two soles, and openings through which this space communicates with the atmosphere.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of soles embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a top view of the outsole alone. Fig. 3 is a top view of the insole alone. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the two soles connected. Fig. 5 is a transverse seotion of the two soles connected, the section being taken at the plane of the dotted line a: x, Fig. 4.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the outsole, and B the insole. Both these soles may be of Ordinary or any desired outline. The outsole has a rim portion a', extending around its edge and elevated from the main portion. It also has a second rim az, which is elevated above the rim a' and extends around the exterior outer edge of the latter throughout the whole or the greater part` of the edge of the sole. The rim a2 does not extend around the heel portion. The outsole may be made of leather or any suitable material, and its rims may be made of strips of the same material cemented or otherwise fastened in place. The insole may be made of leather or other suitable material. It is of a size to rest upon the rim a' of the outsole and fit within the rim agthereof. Its edge portions are supported by the rim cp', and it is throughout elevated above the main portion of the outsole. During the use of the shoe the insole may be pressed against Application filed June 28, 1890.

Serial No. 357,069. (No model.)

the outsole, so as not to be wholly elevated above the latter. 'It Will nevertheless be elevated throughout a great portion of its surface above the outsole.

Owing to the elevation of the insole above the outsole, there is a spacetprovided between the two soles. The perforations of theinsole afford ventilation, as air may circulate from within the shoe to the space between the two soles, and also in the reverse direction.

It is intended that the space between the two soles shall communicate with the atmosphere. For this purpose we have shown the shank or bridge a of the outsole as provided with perforations. Owin g to the fact that the rim az is not oontinued around the-outsole openings are also afforded at the heel. Of course sometimes the insole will rest upon the heel portion of the rim a', and then there Will be no opening caused by the omission of the rim (t2 at the heel of the outsole; but in Walking the insole will at times be raised from the heel portion of the rim a', and then there Will be openings caused by the omission of the rim a2 at this part of the insole. Openings may be provided at any other part of a boot or shoe for the passage o f air. It is obvious that if a double-heel portion were provided in the upper of a boot or shoe and the two parts of the double upper connected at the heel portion of the two soles Where the rim az is omitted from the outsole and were separated for a 'distance equal to the width of the said rim agaspace might be provided leading to any point above the soles. `We have represented by dotted lines in Fig. 4 two parts c c' of such a double upper.

The fact that the insole is supported at the edges and elevated above the main portion of the outsole leaves it free to rise and fall throughout a portion of its extent and operate with a pumping action during the walking of the Wearer. This will of course result in circulating airlwithin the boot or shoe.

Boots or shoes made in accordance with our invention are not designed for wear in Wet places unless protected by Water-proof overshoes; but it is obvious that they may be Worn within doors or out'of doors during dry weather.

IOO

The upper may be attaohed to the outsoie in any Well-known manner. For instance, the rim a' may be an inwardiy-turned portion of the upper, as shown at the heel portion in in Fig. 4, and the outsole attaehed thereto by sewing or otherwise. By another means the rim a' may be wholiy independent of Ithe upper and the edges of the upper drawn over the edge Vof the outsole in the usual way of lasting and another sole provided With perforations in the shank placed upon What We here term the outsole It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to any manner of attaohing the upper to the sole, nor do we limit ourselves to the number of layers that may constitute an outsole.

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a boot or shoe, the combination, with an outsole, of a rim portion extending around the edge of the outsoie and elevated from its main portion, a second rim elevated above and extending around the Outer edge of the first-named rim, excepting around the heel portion, and an insole having its edge portion supported by the first-named rim within th second-named rim and elevated above the inner surface of the outsole, whereby it may have a pumping action, the said outsole having perforations and the said insole having perforations, substantially as speoified.

In testimony Whereof we have signed our names to this speoifieation in the presence of subseribing Witnesses.

STEPHEN O. HOWARD. GEORGE W. PARKS. WILLIAM F. WHITING. Wituesses for Howard and Parks:

K. L. BRENNAN, EDWIN H. BROWN. VVitnesses for VVhiting:

, JOHN DoDD,

E. F. I-IEDLY. 

